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Event Title: Pakistan and Uzbekistan had long cherished cordial bilateral relations in promoting all-round cooperation in different areas including trade, commerce, Defence, Tourism, and culture: Sadiq Sanjrani
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Of Oily Majlis of Republic Of Uzbekistan, H.E Nurdinjon Ismailov Calls on Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani
The Trans-Afghan Railway Line Project would transform the geo-economic dynamics of the Central Asian Region, Says Sadiq Sanjrani*
Pakistan and Uzbekistan had long cherished cordial bilateral relations in promoting all-round cooperation in different areas including trade, commerce, Defence, Tourism, and culture: Sadiq Sanjrani*
*-Both the dignitaries condemned in the strongest terms the recent barbarism being caused by the Israeli occupation forces, adding that Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians are a gross violation of human rights and International law*
*-The Uzbek parliament, the Uzbek people, and the government was committed to strengthening cordial relations with Pakistan: Speaker Uzbek Oily Majlis*
Islamabad: 31st May 2021: The Trans-Afghan Railway Line Project, agreed between Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan earlier this year, would transform the geo-economic dynamics of the entire Central Asian region. The project would be the first step in linking the Central Asian transport network with Pakistani seaports of Gwadar, Karachi, and Bin Qasim, the Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani said while talking to the Speaker of the legislative Assembly of Oily Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E Nurdinjan Ismailov, who called on him here at Parliament House, Today.
During the meeting, wide-ranging talks were held. The two dignitaries exchanged views on bilateral, regional, and international issues. They also reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with a particular focus on political, trade, security and defense, educational, and cultural domains.
While talking to the speaker of the Oily majlis, the Chairman Senate underlined that Pakistan and Uzbekistan had long cherished cordial bilateral relations in promoting all-round cooperation in different areas including trade, commerce, and culture. Referring to historic, cultural, and commercial ties, Sanjrani remarked that Pakistan and Uzbekistan were natural partners in promoting regional prosperity and stability.
"Pakistan highly values its fraternal relationship with Uzbekistan. Both the countries have strong historical, religious and cultural linkage", stated Sadiq Sanjrani.
The Chairman senate welcomed the Uzbek parliamentary delegation to attend the second General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation Organisation (PAECO), hosted by the National Assembly of Pakistan, to be held from 1st June-4th June in Islamabad.
Sadiq Sanjrani underlined the importance of enhancing political and diplomatic linkages and taking steps to deepen mutual collaboration in the fields of education, culture, trade, economy, defense, and tourism. "Uzbekistan is an important country in Central Asia. Further enhancement of economic cooperation would provide an opportunity for the people and investors of the two countries to come closer", he further added.
While exchanging views on the CoronaVirus situation, the Chairman said that effective strategies and security measures need to be taken to contain the epidemic at the earliest, so life roll back to normality. The two also discussed the overall security situation in the region, important global and regional matters of mutual interest, and agreed to continue supporting each other at all international and regional forums, including the UN, OIC, SCO, and ECO.
Both the dignitaries condemned in the strongest terms the recent barbarism being caused by the Israeli occupation forces, adding that Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians are a gross violation of human rights and International law. "The cooperation on the Kashmir issue is a reflection of close ties between the two countries. I am grateful for Uzbekistan's full support on the Kashmir dispute", he underscored.
Muhammad Sadiq Sanjarani further added that the issues of Palestine and Kashmir and the recent barbaric actions of Israeli forces are a wake-up call for humanity. Not only Muslims but the whole world needs to jointly raise their voice on human rights violations, oppression, and barbarism in Palestine and Kashmir, he stressed. If the parliaments of all the countries adopt a common strategy, these disputes can be resolved. It is time to initiate measures to resolve these conflicts so that peace can prevail in the world, Sanjrani pointed out.
Highlighting the importance of Gwadar, the Chairman Senate observed that Gwadar would prove to be a game-changer not only for Pakistan but also for many countries of the world. It would be the shortest way to connect the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa, which will boost investment and trade in the region.
The Uzbek speaker of Oily Majlis endorsed the views of Sadiq Sanjrani and added that the Uzbek parliament, the Uzbek people, and the government was committed to strengthening cordial relations with Pakistan. Both the dignitaries stressed promoting public and parliamentary ties between the two countries. He also urged the need for diversification of trade and commercial relations. The two sides reiterated their determination to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges and enhance the upward trajectory of bilateral relations.
The Visiting dignitary also recorded his remarks in the "Visitor's Book".


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Posted on July 3, 2021 June 30, 2021 by Terrie Evans
News from San Antonio Church – July 4, 2021
We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.
Weekly Bulletin July 4, 2021
by Terrie Evans
As we come together with our families and friends on this 4th of July weekend, please keep the Studt and Mappin families in your prayers. They along with all our parishioners at San Antonio Church continue to mourn the loss of Margaret (Studt) Mappin who passed away on June 19, 2021 at the age of 98. Marge joined our church after the loss of her husband Robert, on the suggestion of her brother Bob and sister in law, the late Louise (Marckesano) Studt. From that moment on Marge became a big part of the history at San Antonio where she attended Sunday Mass and became a valued member of the Men's and Ladies Sodality; who never missed a first Friday of the month meeting. Marge volunteered at every Spaghetti Dinner held in our Hall as the head of the spaghetti assembly line insuring those dine-in or take out dinners were served in a timely manner. Many generations of patrons will always remember Marge who manned that station for close to 40 years. She was a natural fit at San Antonio Church and all new her acquaintances became lifelong friends who considered her friendship a gift. All of us were pleased to be in her company at our Easter Sunday Mass; the last time many of our parishioners were in her company.
Marge was the daughter of the late Carl and Mary Studt and the beloved sister to brothers Charlie, Jack and their wives Melva and Ginny. Even though she lost her husband Robert in 1978, Marge was devoted to his memory and mourned him until her death. She also had many good friends from the 2nd generation of members of San Antonio Church who preceded her including the late Ann Augustine, Ann Bonaventure, Ollie Brockmeyer, Minnie Cupito, Rose Cupito, Theresa Gleisinger, Marie Isadore, Henrietta Klundt, Sue Krimme, Pat Makin, Josie Moore, Fern Roberto, Loraine Roberto, Phil Schare, Sandy Schulter, Betty Seig, Mary Jane Shaw, Dorothy Smiley ,Angie Spencer, Jenny Walkenhorst, Willie Williams and Rose Young. Marge loved spending time with them and was all in for having a good time. They planned many events and on occasion were driven out to Bob and Rosalie Runtz's farm in St. Leon, Indiana by Bob Studt, the late Nobile Cupito, Joe Isadore and Pug Shaw for their field trips where they swam, picnicked and played cards in the Runtz's "Elvis Room". Marge's greatest loss in her last few years were sister-in-law the late Louise (Marckesano) Studt and nephew and confidante, Nick Poland who passed in 2020. Marge also leaves Debbie and Suzanne Poland who brought her to Mass at San Antonio and the many nieces and nephews who kept up with Aunt Margie on a weekly basis and will greatly mourn her passing. We are all very sad to have lost Marge, but we all thank God to have had her in our lives for all those years.
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FTC Announces Tentative Agenda for January 19 Open Commission Meeting
2 minutes of reading / Personal Credit / 01/12/2023 01/12/2023
Today, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan announced that an open meeting of the Commission will be held virtually on Thursday, January 19, 2023. The open meeting will commence at 1pm ET and will begin with time for members of the public to address the Commission.
The following items will be on the tentative agenda for the January 19 Commission meeting:
Business Before the Commission
Staff Presentation on Age-Related Fraud Reporting Trends: Staff in the Division of Consumer Response and Operations will present on the striking age-related differences seen in fraud reports from the public. The presentation will address differences in the reporting rates and reported individual loss amounts of younger and older adults, as well as differences in their likelihood of reporting various types of fraud.
Recognizing the Extraordinary Contributions of FTC Staff: The Chair will highlight a selection of individual award recipients honored during the FTC's recent annual awards ceremony.
At the start of the meeting, Chair Khan will offer brief remarks and will then invite members of the public to share feedback on the Commission's work generally and bring relevant matters to the Commission's attention. Members of the public must sign up for an opportunity to address the Commission virtually at the January 19 meeting.
Each commenter will be given two minutes to share their comments. Those who cannot participate during the event may submit written comments or a link to a prerecorded video through a webform. Speaker registration and comment submission will be available through January 17 at 8 p.m. ET.
The FTC's public meeting agendas will be posted on the Commission's website at least seven days prior to the Commission's next monthly meeting. A link to the event will be available on January 19, shortly before the meeting starts, via FTC.gov. The event will be recorded, and the webcast and any related comments will be available on the Commission's website after the meeting. The Commission retains discretion to make public comments available following the event on ftc.gov.
FTC Finalizes Order with Online Alcohol Marketplace for Security Failures that Exposed Personal Data of 2.5 million People
The Federal Trade Commission has finalized an order with online alcohol marketplace Drizly and its CEO over security failures by the company that the FTC said led to a data breach exposing the personal information of about 2.5 million consumers.
According to an FTC complaint first announced in October 2022, Drizly and its CEO James Cory Rellas were alerted to security vulnerabilities two years prior to the 2020 breach yet failed to take steps to protect consumers' data from hackers despite publicly claiming to have appropriate security protections in place. The FTC said Drizly failed to implement basic security measures, stored critical database information on an unsecured platform, and neglected to monitor security threats.
The FTC's order, among other things, requires Drizly to destroy any personal data it collected that is not necessary for it to provide products or services to consumers and must refrain from collecting or storing personal information unless it is necessary for specific purposes outlined in a retention schedule. It must also publicly detail on its website the information it collects and why such data collection is necessary. In addition, Drizly is required to implement a comprehensive information security program and establish security safeguards to protect against the types of security incidents outlined in the complaint.
In addition to the requirements imposed on Drizly, Rellas must implement an information security program at future companies if he moves to a business collecting consumer information from more than 25,000 individuals, and where he is a majority owner, CEO, or senior officer with information security responsibilities.
After receiving no substantive comments, the Commission voted 4-0 to finalize the complaint and order against Drizly.
FTC Returns More Than $2.9 Million To Consumers Harmed by Warrior Trading
The Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling more than $2.9 million to 20,402 people who paid thousands of dollars for Warrior Trading's investment programs. The company made misleading and unrealistic claims to sell a day trading "system" that failed to pay off for most customers.
The FTC will begin sending payments today by check and PayPal. Consumers who get a check should cash it within 90 days. Consumers who get a PayPal payment should accept it within 30 days. Recipients who have questions about their payment should call the refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 844-633-0694. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a payment.
The FTC sued Warrior Trading and its CEO and founder, Ross Cameron, in April 2022, alleging that the company made deceptive earnings claims throughout its sales pitch. Warrior Trading claimed to sell a day trading strategy that would show consumers "how to make a profit in the markets." In its advertisements, Warrior Trading showcased the trading results of Ross Cameron, claiming that his strategies were both "profitable" and "scalable." According to the FTC's complaint, the vast majority of customers actually lost money trading—in some cases thousands of dollars—on top of the thousands they paid Warrior Trading.
The Commission's interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2021, Commission actions led to more than $472 million in refunds to consumers across the country, but these refunds were the result of cases resolved before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the Commission lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal court. Because of that ruling, the Commission no longer has its strongest tool to return money to consumers, and it will become harder to provide refunds to consumers harmed by deceptive and unfair conduct. The Commission has urged Congress to restore its ability to get money back for consumers.
FTC Publishes Inflation-Adjusted Civil Penalty Amounts for 2023
1 minute of reading / Personal Credit / 01/06/2023 01/06/2023
The Federal Trade Commission has adjusted the maximum civil penalty dollar amounts for violations of 16 provisions of law the FTC enforces, as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. The act directs agencies to implement annual inflation adjustments based on a prescribed formula. The new maximum civil penalty amounts will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.
The maximum civil penalty amount has increased from $46,517 to $50,120 for violations of Sections 5(l), 5(m)(1)(A), and 5(m)(1)(B) of the FTC Act, Section 7A(g)(l) of the Clayton Act, and Section 525(b) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It has increased from $612 to $659 for violations of Section 10 of the FTC Act.
The maximum civil penalty amount has increased from $1,323,791 to $1,426,319 for violations of Section 814(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The maximum civil penalty amounts for other law violations within the agency's jurisdiction are listed in the Federal Register notice.
The Commission vote to publish the Federal Register notice amending Commission Rule 1.98 was 4-0.
FTC Orders an End to Illegal Mastercard Business Tactics and Requires it to Stop Blocking Competing Debit Card Payment Networks
The Federal Trade Commission is ordering an end to illegal business tactics that Mastercard has been using to force merchants to route debit card payments through its payment network, and is requiring Mastercard to stop blocking the use of competing debit payment networks.
Under a proposed FTC order, Mastercard will have to start providing competing networks with customer account information they need to process debit payments, reversing a practice the company allegedly had been using to keep them out of the ecommerce debit payment business and, according to the FTC, that violated provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act known as the Durbin Amendment and its implementing rule, Regulation II.
"This is a victory for consumers and the merchants who rely on debit card payments to operate their businesses," said Holly Vedova, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition. "Congress directed the FTC to enforce this part of the Dodd-Frank Act and prevent precisely this kind of illegal behavior. We take this responsibility seriously, as demonstrated by our action today."
Debit Card Payment Networks
With more than 80 percent of American adults carrying at least one debit card and over $4 trillion in debit card purchases made every year, debit cards occupy a significant place in the current payment landscape. The popularity of debit cards has been growing especially quickly for purchases consumers make using their personal devices equipped with ewallet applications such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Wallet.
Payment card networks play a critical role in those debit card transactions. When a customer presents their debit card to make a purchase, the network transmits the payment information to the card's corresponding bank for approval, and then transfers the payment approval or denial back to the merchant. Payment card networks compete for the business of banks that issue cards and for the business of merchants that accept card payments.
Mastercard, along with Visa, is one of the two leading payment card networks in the United States. The processing fees charged by networks total billions of dollars every year, affecting every purchase made with a debit card, according to the FTC. Most of these fees are paid by the merchants to the card-issuing banks and the payment card networks.
To spur more competition among payment card networks, Congress enacted a provision of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act known as the Durbin Amendment, which required banks to enable at least two unaffiliated networks on every debit card, thereby giving merchants a choice of which network to use for a given debit transaction. The Durbin Amendment—along with its implementing rule, Regulation II—also bars payment card networks from inhibiting merchants from using other networks.
Mastercard's Illegal Tactics
With the post-Durbin rise of debit ecommerce and ewallet debit transactions, Mastercard was flouting the law by setting policies to block merchants from routing ecommerce transactions using Mastercard-branded debit cards saved in ewallets to alternative payment card networks, including networks that may charge lower fees than Mastercard, the FTC alleged.
Specifically, Mastercard used its control over a process called "tokenization" to block the use of competing payment card networks, the agency alleged. Transactions commonly are "tokenized" by replacing the cardholder's primary account number with a different number to protect the account number during some stages of a debit transaction.
Tokens are stored in ewallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Wallet and serve as a substitute credential to provide additional protection for a cardholder's account number.
When a debit cardholder makes a debit purchase using an ewallet, the merchant receives a token from the cardholder's device and sends it to the merchant's bank, which in turn sends the token to a payment card network for processing. For the transaction to proceed, however, the network must be able to convert the token to its associated account number.
Mastercard's policy requires use of a token when a cardholder loads a Mastercard-branded debit card into an ewallet, while banks issuing Mastercard-branded debit cards nearly universally use Mastercard to generate the tokens and store the corresponding primary account numbers in its Mastercard "token vault," the FTC alleged. Since competing networks do not have access to Mastercard's token vault, merchants are dependent on Mastercard's converting the token to process ewallet transactions using Mastercard-branded debit cards.
According to the FTC, Mastercard refuses to provide conversion services to competing networks for remote ewallet debit transactions (i.e., online and in-app transactions, as opposed to in-person transactions made by the customer in a store), thereby making it impossible for merchants to route their ewallet transactions on a network other than Mastercard.
Under the FTC consent order, when a competing network receives a token to process a debit card payment, Mastercard is required to provide them with the customer's personal account number that corresponds to the token. The order also bans Mastercard from taking any action to prevent competitors from providing their own payment token service or offer tokens on Mastercard-branded debit cards and requires Mastercard to comply with provisions of Regulation II.
The Commission vote to issue the administrative complaint and to accept the consent agreement was 4-0. The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package in the Federal Register soon. The agreement will be subject to public comment, after which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent order final. Instructions for filing comments appear in the published notice. Comments must be received 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Once processed, comments will be posted on Regulations.gov.
NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has "reason to believe" that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to $46,517.
FTC Extends Public Comment Period on Potential Funeral Rule Changes to January 17, 2023
The Federal Trade Commission has voted to extend the public comment period for its advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on changes to the Funeral Rule to January 17, 2023. A number of commenters requested that the FTC extend the current deadline due to the holiday season. Information on how to submit comments can be found in the Federal Register notice.
In October 2022, the FTC announced that after a rule review, it would retain the Funeral Rule and issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning potential amendments to the rule, including whether and how funeral providers should be required to display or distribute their price information online and through electronic means.
The Commission vote approving the public comment period extension was 4-0.
Federal Trade Commission Extends Public Comment Period on Potential Rule Regarding the Harms Caused by Junk Fees in the Economy
On October 22, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission announced it is seeking public comments on whether it should explore a rule regarding the harms caused by junk fees and the unfair or deceptive tactics companies use to impose them. Junk fees are unnecessary, unavoidable, or surprise charges that inflate costs while adding little to no value for consumers. The notice announcing this initiative was published in the Federal Register on November 8.
At the request of interested persons, the Commission has extended the public comment period until February 8, 2023. Information about how to submit comments can be found in the Federal Register notice.
The Commission vote approving extension of the public comment period was 4-0.
FTC Announces New Business Guidance for Marketers and Sellers of Health Products
The Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection today announced the issuance of Health Products Compliance Guidance, the agency's first revision of its business guidance in this area in nearly 25 years.
The revised business guide represents a substantial update to the staff's 1998 guide, Dietary Supplements: An Advertising Guide For Industry. Since that guide was issued, the FTC has brought more than 200 cases challenging false or misleading advertising claims for dietary supplements, foods, over-the-counter drugs, and other health-related products. The revised guide draws on those cases with 23 new examples.
One major revision is to extend the guidance covering dietary supplements to all health-related products. The revised guide also reflects updates to other FTC guidance documents, including the guidance on endorsements and testimonials and the enforcement policy statement on homeopathic drugs.
Among other things, the new guide includes a much more detailed discussion of the amount and type of evidence needed to substantiate health-related claims, with more emphasis on the fact that the FTC, as a general rule, expects high quality randomized, controlled human clinical trials.
Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges
The Federal Trade Commission has secured agreements requiring Epic Games, Inc., creator of the popular video game Fortnite, to pay a total of $520 million in relief over allegations the company violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and deployed design tricks, known as dark patterns, to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases.
The FTC's action against Epic involves two separate record-breaking settlements. As part of a proposed federal court order filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the FTC, Epic will pay a $275 million monetary penalty for violating the COPPA Rule—the largest penalty ever obtained for violating an FTC rule. Additionally, in a first-of-its-kind provision, Epic will be required to adopt strong privacy default settings for children and teens, ensuring that voice and text communications are turned off by default. Under a separate proposed administrative order, Epic will pay $245 million to refund consumers for its dark patterns and billing practices, which is the FTC's largest refund amount in a gaming case, and its largest administrative order in history.
"As our complaints note, Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children," said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. "Protecting the public, and especially children, from online privacy invasions and dark patterns is a top priority for the Commission, and these enforcement actions make clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices."
"The Justice Department takes very seriously its mission to protect consumers' data privacy rights," said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. "This proposed order sends a message to all online providers that collecting children's personal information without parental consent will not be tolerated."
Epic's video game Fortnite is generally free to download and play but charges users for in-game items such as costumes and dance moves. The game has more than 400 million users worldwide. The FTC alleged in two separate complaints that North Carolina-based Epic engaged in several unlawful practices.
"Epic put children and teens at risk through its lax privacy practices, and cost consumers millions in illegal charges through its use of dark patterns," said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Under the proposed orders announced today, the company will be required to change its default settings, return millions to consumers, and pay a record-breaking penalty for its privacy abuses."
Privacy Violations
In a complaint filed in federal court, the FTC alleged that Epic violated the COPPA Rule by collecting personal information from children under 13 who played Fortnite, a child-directed online service, without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents' verifiable consent. Epic also violated the FTC Act's prohibition against unfair practices by enabling real-time voice and text chat communications for children and teens by default. Specifically, the FTC alleged that Epic:
Violated COPPA by Failing to Notify Parents, Obtain Consent: The FTC alleged that Epic was aware that many children were playing Fortnite—as shown through surveys of Fortnite users, the licensing and marketing of Fortnite toys and merchandise, player support and other company communications—and collected personal data from children without first obtaining parents' verifiable consent. The company also required parents who requested that their children's personal information be deleted to jump through unreasonable hoops, and sometimes failed to honor such requests.
Default settings harm children and teens: Epic's settings enable live on-by-default text and voice communications for users. The FTC alleges that these default settings, along with Epic's role in matching children and teens with strangers to play Fortnite together, harmed children and teens. Children and teens have been bullied, threatened, harassed, and exposed to dangerous and psychologically traumatizing issues such as suicide while on Fortnite.
Epic employees expressed concern about its default settings. As early as 2017, Epic employees urged the company to change the default settings to require users to opt in for voice chat, citing concern about the impact on children in particular. Despite this and reports that children had been harassed, including sexually, while playing the game, the company resisted turning off the default settings. And while it eventually added a button allowing users to turn voice chat off, Epic made it difficult for users to find, according to the complaint.
In addition to paying the record civil penalty, which goes to the U.S. Treasury, for violating the COPPA Rule, the proposed federal court order will prohibit Epic from enabling voice and text communications for children and teens unless parents (of users under 13) or teenage users (or their parents) provide their affirmative consent through a privacy setting. Epic must delete personal information previously collected from Fortnite users in violation of the COPPA Rule's parental notice and consent requirements unless the company obtains parental consent to retain such data or the user identifies as 13 or older through a neutral age gate. In addition, Epic must establish a comprehensive privacy program that addresses the problems identified in the FTC's complaint, and obtain regular, independent audits.
The Commission voted 4-0 to refer the civil penalty complaint and proposed federal order to the Department of Justice. The DOJ filed the complaint and stipulated order in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Commissioner Christine S. Wilson issued a separate statement.
NOTE: The Commission authorizes the filing of a complaint when it has "reason to believe" that the named defendant is violating or is about to violate the law and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. Stipulated orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
Illegal Dark Patterns
In a separate administrative complaint, the FTC alleged that Epic used dark patterns to trick players into making unwanted purchases and let children rack up unauthorized charges without any parental involvement. The complaint alleged that Epic:
Used dark patterns to trick users into making purchases: The company has deployed a variety of dark patterns aimed at getting consumers of all ages to make unintended in-game purchases. Fortnite's counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button. For example, players could be charged while attempting to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing an adjacent button while attempting simply to preview an item. These tactics led to hundreds of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges for consumers.
Charged account holders without authorization: Children and other users who play Fortnite can purchase in-game content such as cosmetics and battle passes using Fortnite's V-Bucks. Up until 2018, Epic allowed children to purchase V-Bucks by simply pressing buttons without requiring any parental or card holder action or consent. Some parents complained that their children had racked up hundreds of dollars in charges before they realized Epic had charged their credit card without their consent. The FTC has brought similar claims against companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Google for billing consumers millions of dollars for in-app purchases made by children while playing mobile app games without obtaining their parents' consent.
Blocked access to purchased content: The FTC alleged that Epic locked the accounts of customers who disputed unauthorized charges with their credit card companies. Consumers whose accounts have been locked lose access to all the content they have purchased, which can total thousands of dollars. Even when Epic agreed to unlock an account, consumers were warned that they could be banned for life if they disputed any future charges.
Epic ignored more than one million user complaints and repeated employee concerns that "huge" numbers of users were being wrongfully charged. In fact, Epic's changes only made the problem worse, the FTC alleged. Using internal testing, Epic purposefully obscured cancel and refund features to make them more difficult to find.
As part of the proposed administrative order with the FTC over the company's unlawful billing practices, Epic must pay $245 million, which will be used to provide refunds to consumers. In addition, the order prohibits Epic from charging consumers through the use of dark patterns or from otherwise charging consumers without obtaining their affirmative consent. The order also bars Epic from blocking consumers from accessing their accounts for disputing unauthorized charges.
The Commission voted 4-0 to issue the proposed administrative complaint and to accept the consent agreement with Epic related to its deceptive billing practices.
The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package in the Federal Register soon. The agreement will be subject to public comment for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register after which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent order final. Instructions for filing comments will appear in the published notice. Once processed, comments will be posted on Regulations.gov.
FTC Action Leads to Permanent Ban for Scammers Behind 'The Credit Game' Credit Repair Scheme
As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, the operators of "The Credit Game," a credit repair scheme that cost consumers millions of dollars, face a lifetime ban from the credit repair industry in proposed court orders filed today.
Michael and Valerie Rando and their companies, first sued by the FTC in May 2022, would also be required to turn over a wide array of property that would be liquidated and used to provide refunds to consumers harmed by the scam.
"These defendants falsely promised consumers improved credit based on tactics that were both illegal and ineffective," said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Our proposed orders will permanently ban these fraudsters from peddling deceptive credit repair tactics to struggling consumers."
In its complaint against the Randos and their companies, the FTC alleged that the scheme's operators provided false information to credit reporting agencies regarding consumers' credit reports. Additionally, the Randos perpetuated the harm to consumers by pitching their customers a supposed business opportunity to create their own bogus credit repair scheme. The complaint also alleged that the scammers encouraged consumers to pay for the bogus services using COVID-19 tax relief funds, which the FTC alleged was a violation of the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act.
The proposed court orders, which were agreed to by the defendants in the case, include a number of requirements:
Permanent ban on credit repair: The Randos and their companies are permanently banned from operating or assisting any credit repair service of any kind.
Prohibition against unsubstantiated claims: The orders would also prohibit the defendants from making claims about the benefits, performance, or efficacy of any good or service without sufficient supporting evidence.
Turn over possessions: The orders would require the defendants to turn over numerous properties, including: their interest in numerous real estate investments; a Lamborghini, Maserati, Land Rover, and a golf cart; and the contents of numerous bank, investment, and life insurance accounts. These assets will be liquidated by a court-appointed receiver and the funds used by the FTC to provide refunds to consumers harmed by the scam.
The orders contain a total monetary judgment of $18,875,613, which is partially suspended based on the defendants' inability to pay the full amount. If the defendants are found to have lied to the FTC about the financial status, the full judgment would be immediately payable.
The Commission vote approving the stipulated final orders was 4-0. The FTC filed the proposed order in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
NOTE: Stipulated final orders or injunctions have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.


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Organizing toys in a child's bedroom is always an issue that I struggled with. That is until now! When BHG Live Better sent me my challenge for this month, I was stumped. The challenge was to revamp a bedroom or bathroom. I have done most of those in my home recently but my son's room was looking pretty shabby. He had no good toy storage in his room. I then remembered the awesome cube storage available at Walmart for BHG Live Better. Problem solved! He gets great toy storage in his bedroom and I get to tell y'all about it.
First a back story of this room. On our home plans this is actually called a "game room". But when my third child was born, it made a fabulous nursery. However it does open up to the steps going to the second floor so the privacy is non-existent. My son however still does not want to give up the space in this room because it is LARGE! Moving to a "real" bedroom in our home would mean downsizing by about half. No boy with this many tractors wants to downsize.
Once I realized that the cube storage would fit perfectly along the stair railing, I was sold. This gives much needed toy storage in his room with the extra bonus of a little more privacy and closing off of the room.
Links are affiliate links which means a portion of your purchase goes to support this site.
I am so in love with these cube organizers. It will not be long until they are in every room in my home. I swear y'all. The fabric baskets are perfect for holding a variety of toys that I thought would be better kept out of sight.
But the open shelves are perfect for showing off his collection of tractors, trucks, and so much more.
The smaller items got put on the divided shelves which is yet another reason I love the cube storage from BHG Live Better. You can get a variety of those dividers to suit your needs.
I am in love with his new organization and how great the room looks with just this one simple tweak. But the best part is that he loves it! I always find that when the kids are on board, the organization will actually work! So if you are looking for ideas for organizing toys in a child's bedroom, look no further than the cube storage at Walmart from Better Homes and Gardens. I think you will love it as much as I do! This post was sponsored by BHG Live Better however all projects and opinions are my own!
I agree. Organization always works best when the kids are on board. Love the way you can divide the space in the cubes. Very cool.
Awesome idea! That's a lot of great storage!
I have always loved these cubes for organizing. I don't know what I did before them! Thank you for linking up and sharing at Celebrate It!
I love those denim cubbies. They are so cool looking and perfect for a kids room. The whole setup looks great! And yes, if the occupant of the room is not on board the whole process is doomed.
This is really smart idea for organizing toys. Thanks for sharing!
Toy storage is something I struggle with on a daily basis. As a low-income family, I'm constantly trying to find ways to stay organized without having to buy a whole bunch of new equipment. I love these cube organizers because they're so versatile. They can be used with toys, books, crafts, etc. I may have to break down and invest in a few of these. Pinning, tweeting and stumbling this post. <3 Happy Tuesday!
Looks great! Those shelves and fabric baskets would go perfectly with my son's room! Thanks for sharing at Submarine Sunday!


**If you are a company and would like to see your brand advertised in a M.O.O.N. event similar to this please contact MakeOurOwnNetwork@gmail.com. This giveaway is open to the Continental US only (because of shipping costs) and will end on August 5th, 2014.
Labels: DIY Project, Giveaway, M.O.O.N.


700 metres of quayside along the Albert Canal will be earmarked for loading and unloading vessels by means of suitable handling equipment.
Liège Trilogiport covers 14.7 ha of port plots that are currently still available, mainly located to the North of the multimodal platform, which will be at the disposal of companies interested in waterway transport. The advantage of these areas is that they provide direct quayside access.
This area will centralize certain tertiary services of the multimodal platform (banking, …).
Almost 25 hectares, or one-fourth of Liège Trilogiport's total surface area is to be earmarked for environmental and urban developments all around the platform (orchards, public gardens, cycling and walking paths, ponds with pontoons for fishermen, wooded area, …).


text:
from django.db import models
from json import JSONEncoder
from django.core.serializers.json import DjangoJSONEncoder
import datetime

# Create your models here.

class Encoder(DjangoJSONEncoder):
        def default(self, value):
            if isinstance(value, datetime.date):
                return DjangoJSONEncoder.default(self, value)

class Pilot(models.Model):
    firstname = models.CharField(max_length=60)
    lastname = models.CharField(max_length=60)
    starting_date = models.DateField()

class Airplane(models.Model):
    modelname = models.CharField(max_length=60)
    builddate = models.DateField()

class Airport(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=60)
    code = models.CharField(max_length=60)
    city = models.CharField(max_length=60)

class Flight(models.Model):
    pilot = models.ForeignKey(Pilot, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    airplane = models.ForeignKey(Airplane, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    departure_airport = models.ForeignKey(Airport, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name='+')
    arrival_airport = models.ForeignKey(Airport, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name='+')
    departure_time = models.DateTimeField()
    arrival_time = models.DateTimeField()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Travel: Take the 09:55 from Tottenham Hale (also a Victoria Line Underground station) which arrives at Ponders End Station at 09:59. Buy a return to Rye House Station.
As there are no toilet facilities at Ponders End Station please use those available at Tottenham Hale Station.


The third year of the Clint Harper era in Marshall is set to begin, and expectations for the iconic East Texas program are on the rise. The Mavericks begin the season ranked No. 5 in ETSN.fm's preseason Class 6A/5A poll.
Harper, a former Mavs quarterback and son of ex-Marshall head coach Bill Harper, has rescued his alma mater from the depths of irrelevance with consecutive playoff appearances in his first two years on the job.
Now, fans in Marshall have their sights set on the next phase: postseason success.
The Mavs captured their first playoff win since 2009 last season, and Marshall is positioned nicely for bigger and better results moving forward.
Marshall returns 16 starters from last year's 7-5 area finalist, including 10 from an offense that averaged more than 38 points per game in 2014.
The offensive headliners include junior QB/ATH Cam Haller, who enjoyed breakout success in his debut campaign as a sophomore with more than 1,000 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
Marshall also returns starting quarterback Justin Hart, running backs Chavis Mills and Deondre Osborne, and receiver Trel Patton.
Defensively, the Mavs figure to be much improved with the return of six starters, including defensive lineman Antonio Washington and linebacker/safety Micahh Smith.


During the winter, why should you be stuck indoors? One of the best reasons to book a Palm Springs winter vacation is the weather you can expect while visiting this beautiful desert city in California. The average high temperature in Palm Springs during the winter months is around the low to mid-70s, making it an ideal escape for those who don't fare well in chilly temperatures.
In the warmth and sunshine of Palm Springs, you'll be able to enjoy all kinds of indoor and outdoor activities. Along with shopping, dining, and spa days, consider the following seven suggestions for your ideal Palm Springs winter getaway.
A great way to benefit from Palm Springs winter weather is to hop on a bike. Biking is so popular in Palm Springs that the city has drawn up a map of bike loops, and there are multiple businesses offering bike rentals.
In gentle, sunny weather, you can explore different corners of Palm Springs on your bike. Pass by charming parks and country club golf courses. Coast along lovely residential streets with palm trees, and maybe spot a home where someone famous used to live. The different routes have beautiful scenery, including stunning views of the mountains.
In early February, you can watch or participate in the Tour de Palm Springs, a relaxed, group ride that allows you choose how far you cycle while raising money for nonprofits in Coachella Valley. If you're biking the longest distance, 100 miles, the mild winter weather is ideal for the exertion.
If you want to experience the best of Palm Springs, don't miss out on the art scene. For starters, head to the Palm Springs Art Museum. The unique collection includes photography, glasswork, desert landscape paintings, and Native American textiles. The art museum also has two other sites—one of them is the nearby Architecture and Design Center and the other is in Palm Desert, roughly half an hour away by car.
Along with exploring the museums, check out the various art galleries in Palm Springs. Most of them are clustered along South Palm Canyon Drive and North Indian Canyon Drive. They're of such a high caliber that they attract people from around the world.
If you're in the area towards the end of January, don't overlook the Southwest Arts Festival in Indio, a Coachella Valley city that's less than 30 miles away from Palm Springs. And, if you're in Palm Springs in the middle of February, head to the convention center for the Fine Art Fair, which displays hundreds of gorgeous artistic exhibits for thousands of visitors. It's a distinguished festival that gives you the chance to savor a variety of fine art, including paintings and pottery.
One of the features that makes Palm Springs famous is the style of many of its homes. They're excellent examples of architecture from the middle of the 20th century.
To appreciate the architecture, you can take self-guided tours by car or on foot, or you can sign up with one of the professional tour groups in the city. On a visit in February, you should take advantage of the architecture bus tours offered during >Modernism Week, a grand celebration of buildings, gardens, classic cars, fashion, and art.
You may not have heard of this sport, which combines soccer and golf, but the American FootGolf League has its home near Palm Springs. One of the best places to play FootGolf in the local area is The Lights at Indio Golf Course, a beautiful course that's lit up at night.
A game can last for a couple of hours, allowing you to absorb the pleasant winter weather while giving your body some challenging exercise.
Along with enjoying modern cultural attractions in Palm Springs, it's worth your while to step into the past and surround yourself with the transcendent beauty of nature.
When people think about the best of Palm Springs, an Indian Canyons hike often comes to mind. This stunning spot is the world's largest native palm oasis and a site to behold! Located in the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation, Indian Canyons is home to several hiking trails that range from easy to strenuous. You'll see gorgeous rock formations, magnificent trees, and possibly mule deer and Peninsular bighorn sheep. One of the canyons also has a trading post with Native American pottery, baskets, and other treasures.
If you're don't want to venture out hiking on your own, take advantage of one of the ranger-led hikes available between October and June. You can also enjoy picnicking and horseback riding during your visit.
In early January, celebrities descend on Palm Springs for the Palm Springs International Film Festival. For close to two weeks, the festival hosts screenings and other events. These include a gala night with an awards show.
How can you take part in the festival? You can reserve your pass, selecting the one that's best for your interest level and includes the activities that appeal to you. But don't wait—these can sell out quickly! You can also try securing a good spot by the red carpet and do your best to get autographs. You should also stay on the lookout for any stars who might be shopping, dining, and enjoying Palm Springs winter weather alongside you.
Even though one of the attractions of a Palm Springs winter is the warm weather, what if you also feel like experiencing a more typical winter atmosphere?
A visit to Palm Springs in winter can't be considered a complete success unless you make time for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Get swept up from the warm valley to the delicious chill of Mount San Jacinto State Park on the largest rotating tram car you'll find anywhere in the world. The elevation difference is over 8,000 feet, and the views from both the tramway and the mountains are phenomenal.
It's even possible you'll find some snow up there. Give yourself time to explore the hiking trails, get a bite to eat at Peaks restaurant located at the top, and check out the natural history museum.
Palm Springs in winter is spectacular, and you'll find numerous opportunities for cultural pleasure and outdoor fun. For the best Palm Springs winter vacation, book a stay at Welk Resorts Palm Springs, which is close to all of the best venues and activities. With the warm, sunny weather you can expect during your Palm Springs winter vacation, you won't run out of things to do.
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Hi Jacque, we're so excited to #Welkome you to Palm Springs paradise next month! To view our Inspired For You activities guide, please visit: https://welkresorts.com/inspired-guides/palm-springs-inspired-guide.pdf. The activities schedule changes seasonally, so feel free to check back in mid-March for our updated spring guide! We truly hope you have a wonderful visit to both of our SoCal Resorts!
We're excited to share our love for travel, family, and everything in between. Join us as we explore together, igniting a passion for vacations, quality time, and making memories. Cheers!


Road biking can seem intimidating, with the spandex shorts and the skinny tires and the really long races. But in Bend, there are a lot of cyclists who want to watch other people get out there on those skinny tires. If you've been contemplating wiggling into some spandex and hitting the road to challenge yourself—but also support a good cause, Tour des Chutes is your opportunity this week.
"There's something for everyone," explained Anne Linton, a member of Team Sunnyside and one of the safety riders for the Tour des Chutes. "It's for a great cause, it's a great community activity and it's a lot of fun."
Tour des Chutes is a ride for cancer survivorship. All the proceeds go to St. Charles' Cancer Center survivorship programs and Pediatric Foundation, a nonprofit that supports families who have a child with cancer. In the past, Tour des Chutes has raised more than $900,000 for cancer programs.
Cyclists of all ages and abilities live in Bend, and everyone will find a ride for their ability level, whether they're a kid who recently mastered a two-wheel bike or a seasoned century rider, riders can choose anything from 7-mile to 100-mile rides, and even a 5k run.
Gary Bonacker, a co-owner of Sunnyside Sports and a brain cancer survivor, started the ride after seeing how cancer affected people in the long term—beyond the symptoms of the disease.
"When cancer is diagnosed early it is being managed more as a chronic disease. Because of this we need more support and education for these cancer survivors," Bonacker explained on the Tour des Chutes website. "Over 40 percent of cancer patients suffer from depression and over 50 percent have other health challenges associated with the cancer."
In the early years of Tour des Chutes, organizers divided the earnings between the LiveStrong Foundation and the St. Charles Cancer Center, but starting in 2013 all of the proceeds were kept local.
The ride is open to everyone, but cancer survivors get a special finish chute and are given a rose at the end of the race, said Linton. All riders are encouraged to write names of people they know who have or had cancer on their race bibs.
"Tour des Chutes has a different meaning for the riders," Bonacker said. "It is more than just another cycling event. The ride gives you time to reflect on where you are in life, the full meaning of being a part of this world and time to reflect on the people you love. People love to stay after the ride for hours, talking with friends, meeting new friends and just enjoying the moment."
If you're considering doing one of the longer rides, Linton says the Tour des Chutes is a great option because it's relatively flat, and it's well aided with stops, safety riders to help out participants, and cars donated by Robberson Ford to get around the course.
"I'd been doing a lot of road riding and wanted to test my legs and endurance on the 50-mile route," rider Janice Hughes said. "The best part was the scenery, but the event volunteers at the rest stops and the camaraderie among the riders made it really special."


Anger, fear, contempt "" these are understandable emotions when people learn of a would-be act of terrorism at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in their own downtown. I've gone through those, and a fair bit of sadness, too "" sadness that a kid from our community would allegedly want to smash a happy scene to a million bits, sadness that no one set him straight, and sadness that my Muslim friends are feeling even more under the gun than before.
In the understandable rush to make sense of the nonsensical, people grasp for their ideologies: The Muslims are out to get us! Law enforcement has it in for minorities! What emerges for me is no rallying cry but some emphatic words of caution. Let's be careful about picking our scapegoats and leaping to our favorite over-generalizations. And, especially, let's choose responses that don't hurt an already-bad situation.
Marie, a medical technologist and single mother who lives in Newburyport, Mass., searched Facebook. There she found what seemed to be her son's page: his name, a photo of him grinning while running "" and, on his public wall, sneering comments about teenagers he scarcely knew.
Someone had forged his identity online and was bullying others in his name….
Synodical government was a visionary initiative. It established definitively the voice of the laity in the governance of our Church, providing a place where laity and clergy, together with the bishops, meet to discern, to express consensus and to legislate. It embodied the important principle that the whole Church has responsibility to guard and transmit the faith and to discern how to express that faith afresh in each generation. This guiding principle of our English Reformation, reflected in synodical government today, is something precious, something to celebrate.
And yet, as we begin this new quinquennium we know that our synodical system is "" and probably always will be, like the institution of the Church itself "" in need of reform and renewal. English parliamentary processes can have a negative effect, tending to polarisation, parties divided against one another, a culture of winners and losers. Thank goodness the call to the Synod "" "˜decide' "" now replaces the former absurd practice of a bewigged lawyer crying "˜divide' "" just when the Synod was testing for consensus, testing for the mind of Christ. Humorous, if it weren't so misleading. So where might you look for guidance on how to conduct your life in Synod?
When I asked myself this question the Council of Jerusalem came into my mind. Of course this can't be a precise blue-print to copy but it may suggest clues on how you might go about your business….
Read it all (Hat Tip: General Synod Blog).
This week, the National Marriage Project is releasing a study charting the decline of the two-parent family among what it calls the "moderately educated middle" "" the 58 percent of Americans with high school diplomas and often some college education, but no four-year degree.
This decline is depressing, but it isn't surprising. We've known for a while that America has a marriage gap: college graduates divorce infrequently and bear few children out of wedlock, while in the rest of the country unwed parenthood and family breakdown are becoming a new normal. This gap has been one of the paradoxes of the culture war: highly educated Americans live like Ozzie and Harriet despite being cultural liberals, while middle America hews to traditional values but has trouble living up to them.
But the Marriage Project's data suggest that this paradox is fading. It's no longer clear that middle America does hold more conservative views on marriage and family, or that educated Americans are still more likely to be secular and socially liberal.
[Scott] Pelley: How would you rate the likelihood of dipping into recession again?
[Ben] Bernanke: It doesn't seem likely that we'll have a double dip recession. And that's because, among other things, some of the most cyclical parts of the economy, like housing, for example, are already very weak. And they can't get much weaker. And so another decline is relatively unlikely. Now, that being said, I think a very high unemployment rate for a protracted period of time, which makes consumers, households less confident, more worried about the future, I think that's the primary source of risk that we might have another slowdown in the economy.
Pelley: You seem to be saying that the recovery that we're experiencing now is not self-sustaining.
Bernanke: It may not be. It's very close to the border. It takes about two and a half percent growth just to keep unemployment stable. And that's about what we're getting. We're not very far from the level where the economy is not self-sustaining.
The debate on Capitol Hill this week is over whether to extend the Bush tax cuts, which would likely increase the budget deficit.
The possibility of creating a civil society on the basis of the revolution of the 1950's no longer exists. In the presence of a multi-religious new immigrant society with a variety of cultural and ethnic roots, the presence of a significant secular minority which wants to rule out the active role of religions in the new developing Quebec society which is challenged by a plurality of those who wish to maintain its Christian roots and here I include Protestants and jews outside of the ultra orthodox the dream that French language alone is capable of creating a civil society is questionable at best.
So what does this have to with our long standing commitment to the sin business? Well, we have to acknowledge that the conversation in which we are involved is between good guys. We have to present our nation and its values in a language which is able to go beyond the terms and posturing that I want to call missionary. Those coming as immigrant[s] must be made aware that their move is not geographic but will require a re-examination of their cultural identity and practices. The church, here in the inclusive sense I just mentioned, must be prepared to step back to the extent its vision is of a multi-religious society and stated in a way which makes clear its role in the flourishing of the human enterprise. It needs to affirm the triumphant secularity of the founders of the revolution which I would add in an historical note is dramatically similar to that of the founding fathers of the United States. We need to accept that our belief in social values involves commitment and discipline that the sin business used to promulgate but can no longer deliver. We need to listen to the cries coming from multitude of quarters from those concerned that the current state of affairs is not sustainable….
Frank Colquhoun was a much respected evangelical priest and popular author in the Church of England. He wrote or edited 26 books of prayers as well as guides to preaching, hymns, the gospels and moral problems. He was also for a time editor of The Churchman and editorial secretary of the World's Evangelical Alliance.
His patient, gentle, conciliatory character gave him hundreds of friends in his south country and London parishes and also during his work as a cathedral canon. For six years, from 1966 to 1972, he was Principal of the Southwark Ordination Course, that radical experiment pioneered by Bishop Mervyn Stockwood and Bishop John Robinson.
I was recently in America. It's a country I love but it was depressing. All the energy for legislating on climate change has drained away. Those once leading the debate are now silent, the deniers have turned up the volume. The Administration has stalled on this vital subject. The President said in his State of the Union speech "the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy". If that's true (and I believe it is) then America has already begun to cede its premier place in the world economy.
The Chinese are already talking about the economic downturn as "the North Atlantic Crisis". And according to the Pew Centre Research "China is emerging as the world's cleanest energy powerhouse". It has already become the world's leading investor in renewables aiming for 15% of its energy to be generated through renewables by 2020. It has designated 5 provinces and 8 cities as China's Low Carbon Pilots, representing 350 million people, 27% of the population and one third of the economy. The centre of gravity is shifting from West to East not just for the World Economy but for the Green Economy.
Future historians will ponder long and hard on why the North Atlantic nations fell so easily on their swords and pressed the self-destruct button.
The Rev. Rayford Ray was elected Dec. 4 as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan, pending required consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and standing committees of the Episcopal Church.
Ray, 54, a member of the Episcopal Ministry Support Team in the Diocese of Northern Michigan, was elected on the second ballot of a special convention from a field of three nominees. A fourth nominee, the Rev. Nigel Taber-Hamilton, rector of St. Augustine's in-the-Woods Episcopal Church, Freeland, Washington, had earlier asked that his name be withdrawn from consideration.
The global advertising market should continue to recover steadily over the next three years driven by markets such as China, which is expected to overtake Germany as the world's third-largest ad market in 2011, according to the latest forecast from Publicis Group SA'S (PUB.FR) ZenithOptimedia.
Advertising spending in China is expected to grow 51% over the next three years to reach $34.24 billion in 2013, said Zenith.
Professor Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, immediate past Rector of Sunyani Polytechnic, on Saturday said sacrifice, financial and material resources and total devotion were necessary to improve on the dwindling membership of the Sunyani diocese of the Anglican Church. He said structural reform, unity, patriotism and commitment constituted the requisite essentials of the Anglican Church "to propagate the gospel, rescue the perishing and win souls for Christ". Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah was speaking on the theme: "Let Us Rise and Build," to climax a five-day programme and fund-raising to mark the first anniversary of Rt. Rev. Dr. Festus Yeboah Asuamah, third Bishop of the Anglican diocese of Sunyani.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned last year in a leaked classified memo that donors in Saudi Arabia were the "most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide".
She said it was "an ongoing challenge" to persuade Saudi officials to treat such activity as a strategic priority.
The groups funded include al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba, she added.
MacIntyre maintains, however, that the system must be understood in terms of its vices""in particular debt. The owners and managers of capital always want to keep wages and other costs as low as possible. "But, insofar as they succeed, they create a recurrent problem for themselves. For workers are also consumers and capitalism requires consumers with the purchasing power to buy its products. So there is tension between the need to keep wages low and the need to keep consumption high." Capitalism has solved this dilemma, MacIntyre says, by bringing future consumption into the present by dramatic extensions of credit.
Rachael Kohn: It's good to have you back on again. You've been researching Australia's religious profile for more than two decades now with a special focus on Christianity. Where would you put Australia compared to other historically Christian societies in the West?
Philip Hughes: Certainly I think that the Christian significance and Christian part of Australia's identity has been in decline for the last 40 years. Now approximately half of all Australians identify themselves as being Christian. I think there are certainly a lot of Christian faiths still very much influencing our education, influencing our social welfare, influencing our values, but it's become less explicit.
Rachael Kohn: Tom Frame has famously said that Australia is not a Christian country. Do you agree with his terminology or is it your observation more that Australians don't champion a strong national story that is Christian?
Philip Hughes: I certainly think that the national Australian identity is not explicitly Christian. On the other hand, the Christian faith is still a choice being made by large numbers of Australians.
John Hunwicke: Conditional Ordination for Ordinariate Anglicans?
A good technical case could, it is true, be made for this on the grounds of the Bishop Graham Leonard precedent. But, in his case, the CDF considered the orthodoxy or otherwise of every 'link' in the ordinations which led from the Dutchmen to the Bishop who ordained him priest. It cannot be anything other than a profound mistake in practical terms to attempt to clutter up the beginning of an Ordinariate with the sort of paper chases and delays which would be involved. And it would create an invidious divide between most of us and a few worthy priests who, because of age or because they were ordained in other parts of the Anglican Communion, were priested by bishops who had not contracted the Dutch Touch. So, my strong conviction is: NO … just don't go there….
The US is worried that Qatar, which last week won the right to host the 2022 soccer World Cup, and Kuwait are not doing enough to combat the financing of al-Qaeda, say officials and leaked diplomatic cables.
The Obama administration expresses fears that the two countries are in effect allowing al-Qaeda to circumvent tighter controls in Saudi Arabia and that pilgrims on the annual Hajj to Mecca also play a big role in funding the group.
(FT) Gideon Rachman: What if US influence goes into retreat?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States was left as the world's only superpower. But the "unipolar moment" did not last long. By the time Barack Obama entered the White House in January 2009, it was already clear that the era of untrammelled American confidence and power had come to a close. Two major events have undermined the swagger and self-confidence of US foreign policy. The first was the failure to secure clear victories in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Frugal Superpower: America's Global Leadership in a Cash-strapped Era, by Michael Mandelbaum….
This is hysterical and well worth the time–listen to it all (just over 12 minutes).


text:
Trump Gives Lust A Bad Name
by Dr. Marty Klein on October 13, 2016 ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog
Recently, I wrote about the problems the male gaze can give women. Writing about it helped me realize that even a totally super-cool guy like me still has a few things to learn.
Of course, you don't need to be a totally super-cool guy, or a sexuality professional, or anything other than a functioning adult to know that sexual assault is wrong, and that no one is entitled to sex with others, even if they're a "star."
Anyone who doesn't understand that is developmentally incomplete. Or, to use even more technical language, a clueless, hostile, insecure, narcissistic jerk. Donald Trump, if the shoe fits, slide it up your butt.
But that's not my point here.
Today's point is the disgusting spectacle of people across the country—from career Republican politicians to ordinary voters—recoiling in horror from Trump-the-sex-maniac. Not Trump-the-political-maniac—Trump the sex manic.
The list is growing by the hour—from Paul Ryan, John McCain, and Arnold Schwarzenegger to ladies who lunch, students decrying "rape culture," and white men talking about parenting their daughters. All these self-righteous Republicans are finally giving up on Trump because eleven years ago he bragged about groping women, called their genitalia "pussies," talked about seducing married women, and gossiped about how sexually irresistible he is because he's a "star."
That's what has made some adults withdraw their political support from him: Trump, in an unguarded private moment, bragging about sexual aggression and his mouth-watering sexual magnetism.
Of course this makes him repulsive. But after all he has said and done, this is what it took for thoughtful people to decide he isn't fit to be President? Or that supporting him was politically inexpedient?
This says way more about how these people feel about sex—and believe the rest of us feel about sex—than it does about Trump. And what it says is that people are way more irrational, judgmental, terrified, and enraged about sexuality than about virtually anything else.
Republicans are passing off their own erotophobia as righteous condemnation of Trump's disgusting nature. Apparently they've just discovered his "nature" this week.
For anyone who supported Trump until "pussygate," here is what they found acceptable in a president (none of which Trump denies):
* Trump invited the Russian government to sneak into the records of the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton.
* Trump says America should require religious testing for immigrants.
* Trump spent years questioning Barack Obama's birth status.
* Trump says a federal judge can't be trusted because he's Mexican (actually, he was born in Indiana).
* Trump says we should leave NATO.
* Trump says we should be less hesitant to use nuclear weapons.
* Trump refuses to release his tax returns, claiming it's because he's being audited. (The IRS denies Trump is being audited, and billionaire Warren Buffett just released his tax return although he's currently being audited.)
But the very worst thing that Donald Trump has done is urging Americans to distrust their own government. For over a year he has continued to lie about the daily operation of our federal institutions: he says the unemployment figures are a hoax; that there is no tracking of incoming immigrants; that we're one of the world's highest taxed nations; and that illegal immigrants are treated better than veterans.
Trump's lasting legacy will be undermining the legitimacy of the government he says he wants to lead. He says that if he loses, the election is rigged. He says if he loses, his supporters might turn violent. He says if Clinton is elected and abolishes the Second Amendment (which she doesn't want to do, and couldn't do anyway), gun owners might consider assassination. And he says when he wins, he will work to get Clinton jailed.
This is the banana republic Trump sees us as. He is damaging the democratic system he will leave behind, planting seeds of evil that will sprout as weeds of paranoia, xenophobia, survivalism, mistrust, and yes, violence. This goes beyond anything we have seen in a presidential candidate in our lifetime.
Apparently, dozens of Republican senators and Congressmembers, hundreds of Trump convention delegates, and an unknown number of regular people did NOT think Trump's disdain for the America system disqualified him from being President—but that bragging about groping women's "pussies" does.
And these people are saying they're shocked, shocked to discover who Trump is. Really? Trump is the most consistent presidential candidate of the last half-century. After all he has said about women, said about himself, said about the other Republican candidates, and said about Hillary Clinton, can there be anyone actually surprised by this latest episode?
To repeat—non-consensual sexual contact of any kind is wrong, bad, inappropriate, and corrupting of society. But anyone who thinks that sexual corruption is worse than political, military, diplomatic, or financial corruption—all of which Trump has advocated and lived out—has a misplaced terror and rage about sexuality. And a misplaced sense of serenity about the kind of country we are, apparently, becoming—regardless of who wins next month.
Salon.com Asks Me About Porn
What College Kids Want to Know About Porn
Family Foundation of Kentucky Calls Me Out
If A Guy Doesn't Always Orgasm, Should You Worry?
by Dr. Marty Klein in "Sex Therapist's Couch, Sexual Intelligence Blog"
The Leading Edge Continuing Education Providers, Canada
States Use "Sex" & "Children" To Create & Damn Criminals


Today's park covers 42 acres of space and features everyday park props with a twist that is quintessentially Gaudí. Instead of numerous benches spread throughout, here visitors will be greeted with one long, wavy stone bench adorned with vibrant mosaics and equipped with views of the ocean. And instead of drab administrative buildings, the welcome centers here (which house park souvenirs and learning materials on Gaudí and the park) look like buildings you'd see in a Dr. Seuss book. You'll also find plenty of picturesque pathways that weave along verdant vegetation, down cascading tiled staircases and through jagged stone columns and tunnels. While you're here, don't miss the chance to see the Sala Hipóstila. Located right at the entrance, the Sala Hipóstila was originally intended to be a marketplace. Today it serves as nothing more than to dazzle visitors with its stately stone columns and beautiful mosaic works, which you'll find dotted all over the ceiling. Other popular attractions here include the Casa Museu Gaudí (Gaudí House Museum), Gaudí's former home turned museum, and Turó de les Tres Creus, a lookout point with pretty impressive views of the city situated in the southwestern point of the park.
Travelers found Parc Güell to be a lovely place to spend a sunny day in Barcelona. Visitors loved the beautiful architecture of the park and how it seamlessly weaved into its natural surroundings. Some strongly suggested taking part in a guided tour to better understand the history and architectural detail of the park (guided tours are available at the park with the purchase of a guided tour ticket). Others also recommended taking time to explore the trails Park Güell has to offer, but make sure to come prepared. Being built on a hill, trails feature steep inclines and unpaved pathways. And keep in mind that since this is one of Barcelona's most popular attractions, there will seldom be a time when there isn't crowds. In fact, according to the Barcelona Tourism board, only 2.4 percent of Barcelona residents visit the park. The rest are national and international tourists.
Parc Güell is open every day, but hours vary depending on the season. There is a cost to enter the park. Tickets are 7 euros ($8) online and 8 euros (about $9.50) at the park. Reduced fares are available for children and seniors. Some visitors complained of not being able to be admitted to the park the day they arrived due to capacity restrictions, so getting a ticket in advance online is advised, especially if you're short on time. To get to the front entrance of the park, hop off at the Alfons X metro station. If you want to start at the top of the park and make your way down, get off at the Vallcarca stop. Keep in mind that there are no metro stations just a couple blocks away from the park. Vallcarca is a half a mile west and Alfons X is nearly a mile southeast. For more information, visit Parc Güell's website.
From 1882 up until his death in 1926, Catalan Art Nouveau master Antoni Gaudí devoted himself to the construction of La Sagrada Família (Church of the Sacred Family), a towering Gothic-style-with-a-twist church. And even then, he was unable to finish; Gaudí was known for saying "My client (God) is in no hurry." The church, which is funded by private donations, is still under construction today and is said to be completed by 2026.
La Sagrada Família is not only considered to be Gaudí most recognized work, but also his best. Believe it or not, this church wasn't always Gaudí's. The architect that was first commissioned to do the church, Francesc del Paula Villar, was replaced after disagreeing with promoters of the church. When Gaudí took on the project, he changed it entirely. Instead of the original neo-Gothic style, he looked toward something more innovative. While the church does feature Gothic elements, there are plenty of unconventional details that deviate from that norm throughout, resulting in an eye-catching structure that is entirely one of a kind.
Even if you're not all that interested in architecture, you're sure to find this church — like Gaudí's other work — a feast for the eyes and full of symbolism. Gaudí's main goal for La Sagrada Família was to teach people about Catholicism through architecture. The best place to see this is right outside of the church, where you'll odes all over. The four towers represent the 12 apostles and the intricately carved facades at the base show the life of Christ, from his birth, death and resurrection. La Sagrada Família's interior are just as striking, from the smooth, nearly white stone columns to the rows of vibrant stained-glass windows.
Travelers were in complete awe of the the church's magnificent architecture. So much so that visitors who have been to La Sagrada Família before always make it a case to come back and see it again when they are in Barcelona. Visitors strongly suggested taking your time with this attraction; there's so much to observe and even more details to take in both inside and out. Considering its popularity, travelers warn that no matter what time you visit, there will always be crowds. As such, it's smart to book tickets online in advance to avoid lines.
The closest metro stop to La Sagrada Família is Monumental or Verdaguer. You can take a quick peek of the church outside for free, but you'll have to pay 15 euros for admission (or $17.50) to go in and explore (travelers highly recommend doing so). The church opens at 9 a.m. year-round but closing hours vary by season. Keep in mind that the church enforces a dress code. Anyone wearing hats, shirts that don't cover shoulders completely and shorts or skirts that don't go over the knee will not be admitted. For more information, check out La Sagrada Família's website.
Even if you're not keen on visiting the touristy Las Ramblas, make the trek to the thoroughfare only for it to lead you to the foodie heaven that is the Boqueria Market. The Boqueria Market is Barcelona's first local market, having opened in 1840. But its foodie history spans much earlier than that. The first food peddlers were said to have been around as early as the 13th century selling meat on the streets. The market you see today wasn't around back then, it took four years to construct once Saint Joseph's convent left the area (hence the name of the market).
Today that tradition of hawking goodies lives on, and the covered marketplace treats visitors to the vibrant colors and enticing aromas of everything from fruit juices and wines to fresh fish, meats, produce and desserts. Make sure to grab Spanish specialties while you're there, including jamón ibérico, manchego cheese and salted cod (or bacalao). What's more, bars and restaurants can be found in and around the market, so food options truly abound here.
Travelers say if you plan on visiting the Boqueria Market, make sure you come with an empty stomach. Many travelers loved the bustling atmosphere of the market as well as the wide variety of food and snacks available, with lots of visitors favoring the pressed fruit juice available at some of the stalls. Some, on the other hand, weren't crazy about the prices, while others were overwhelmed by the amount of people that flood the market on a daily basis. If you're not one for crowds, travelers suggest coming early.
The Boqueria is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Browsing is free, but definitely carry some cash with you just in case something catches your eye or makes your mouth water (which according to most visitors, is highly likely). The closest metro stop is Liceu on the L3 line. For more information, check out the market's website.
This bustling thoroughfare is one of the city's major tourist hubs. So much so that if you're visiting Barcelona, you're bound to end up here eventually. Las Ramblas is a pedestrian-friendly pathway situated right smack dab in the middle of the city, so expect it to be busy all hours of the day and night. During the day, you can peruse souvenir stands, watch buskers and street performers, pick up some local art from artists selling on the street, or sit down and enjoy a light snack at one of the many alfresco cafes found here. When the sun sets, you should head here to start your night out, as many bars and clubs can be found in the surrounding area.
While Las Ramblas has no doubt established itself as a visitor-friendly stop, it didn't always cater to tourists the way it does now. Soon after the nearly mile-long thoroughfare was developed in 1766, it became a popular place to hang out for locals. The reason for this has to do with its design. Back in the day, streets in Barcelona were predominantly narrow and windy, making the long and wide Las Ramblas unconventionally roomy. Today, the chances of finding locals congregating here fewer and farther between, especially during the day. At night, however, since it is a prime place to party, you'll likely see some more Catalans.
For recent travelers, Las Ramblas continues to be a must-visit stop in Barcelona. Many travelers enjoyed the lively atmosphere that permeated the street, and say a stroll both during the day and night is warranted to properly soak up its contagious energy. Some visitors, on the other hand, found Las Ramblas to be too touristy. Some travelers expressed feeling uncomfortable with the amount of street performers and panhandlers found in the area. Others warned against grabbing drinks and tapas from one of the alfresco cafes, as they found prices to be exorbitant (13 euros for a beer) and the fare subpar. Travelers also had run-ins with pickpockets. Be alert when you visit Las Ramblas, don't leave any valuables in your pockets and always keep your bag in view.
Las Ramblas is free to explore all hours of the day and night. The closest metro stop to Las Ramblas is Liceu. For more information, check out the Barcelona tourism board's website.
The details highlighted in Casa Batlló show famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí at his best. Of all the Gaudí apartments in Barcelona, this is probably the most recognized (it's also a UNESCO World Heritage site). Sitting down the street from Casa Milà, Casa Batlló is known for its vibrant colors, intricate tile work and skeletal terraces. The unconventional façade is inspired by the legend of St. George, whose story is famous for slaying a dragon to save the princess. The roof in particular depicts the dragon's scaly back while the skeletal balconies and boney windows are said to represent the dragon's previous victims (the legend goes that someone would be sacrificed every day so the dragon wouldn't take the whole town). After you've taken the time to absorb the monstrous amount of detail used on the outside of the building, stop inside to tour the equally eye-catching interiors, including the Noble Floor, which was once home to the Batlló family. With your ticket, you're also able to access the roof to check out Gaudí's admirable mosaic work up close, including those on the dragon's back and the roof's many colorful chimneys.
Travelers who visited Casa Batlló found it to be a masterpiece. While it may be tempting to stay outside and admire the house's details for free, many visitors said it's more than worth the extra coin to explore the inside of the building. Travelers who did so were not only wowed by the architecture but impressed with the audiovisual guide as well (provided with the ticket), which showed pictures of the building from more than 100 years ago for visitors to compare. The only complaint visitors had were the crowds. Travelers highly recommend getting a skip-the-line style ticket online to avoid waiting in long queues. They also said if you can get there early, do so, as some said having to jostle through throngs of people inside took away from their experience.
You can visit Casa Batlló every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Regular admission costs 23.50 euros (about $26.50) and skip-the-line tickets cost 28.50 euros (around $31.50). The closest metro stop is Passeig de Gracia (servicing purple, green and orange lines). For more information, check out Casa Batlló's website.
When you feel like you've hit your Gaudí limit, head to the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) for a change of pace. While most people know Pablo Picasso for his distorted portraits, this museum displays his work on a timeline of sorts, allowing you to follow his progression from the more controlled works of his early years to the very whimsical paintings and sculptures from the end of his career. Make sure you dedicate plenty of time to Picasso: the museum itself holds several thousand pieces by him, including works from his famous Blue Period. The museum also explores the artist's lifelong relationship with Barcelona, explaining why he chose the city for his museum before he died.
Travelers highly recommend a visit to the Picasso Museum, even if you aren't much into Picasso or art museums in general. Visitors appreciated the way the museum chronicled the art he created throughout his life. Not only that, but seeing his various styles on display made lots of travelers understand and further appreciate his talent after visiting the museum. The only complaint some had about the museum were the crowds. Visitors suggest getting tickets online in advance to avoid lines and visiting right when the museum opens or just prior to closing.
For 11 euros (or approximately $12.50) you can visit the Picasso Museum. Opening hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Thursdays, the museum is open till 9:30 p.m. However, if you visit on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m., or anytime on the first Sunday of each month, admission is free. For more information, check out the website.
Towering above the center of the Barri Gòtic district is Barcelona's principal cathedral. The Gothic cathedral's construction began in the late 13th century, though it wasn't completed until the mid-15th century. While you're here, make sure to dedicate plenty of time to the numerous examples of artisanship that went into completing this cathedral, from its exterior details to the many gold furnishings within, including the stately altarpiece, part of the Church of Saint Severas as well as 140 statues of saints that call the cathedral home. While you're here make sure to mosey on over to the cloister, which features a verdant tropical garden.
Many travelers found the Catedral de Barcelona to be stunning, though visitors who have said that they've seen a number of European cathedrals prior didn't find this cathedral to be that noteworthy. If you have enough time, visitors highly suggest taking advantage of the opportunity to go to the top of the cathedral on the roof. There, visitors can get an eyeful of the spire up close as well as some prime city views. Whatever you choose to do, make sure to wear the proper attire. According to recent travelers, the dress code here is strict and knees and shoulders must be covered. Shawls are said to be for sale for those who need to cover up.
The Barcelona Cathedral is open to visitors daily and entry to the cathedral is free depending on the time you visit. If you visit from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and after 3:15 p.m. any day of the week, entry is free. From 1 to 3:30 p.m. any day of the week, entry requires a donation of your choice. To get to the top of the roof or into the choir, it'll cost you 3 euros extra ($3.40). The closest metro stop to La Seu is Jaume I. For more information, visit the cathedral's website.